Adventure Island (ABC 1967-1972, Ernie Bourne, Liz Harris)

Adventure Island was an entertainment shown weekday afternoons detailing the exploits of a group of characters on the island of the title, the village they lived in was called Diddley-Dum-Diddley.

The five episodes each week followed one serialised story, which always resolved in the Friday episode.

Characters included Liza, Clown, Flower Potts, Percy Panda, Dodo Panda and Betty Bruin. The baddies included Miser Meanie, Sir Cedric Sneak, Fester Fumble, Squire Squeezum, Giggles Goblin and Captain Crook. Nancy Cato ansd then Sue Donovan acted as the show’s narrators.

When the show finished Questions were asked in parliament, although whether this was down to it’s sheer popularity or for any notional educational value the show may have had we can’t be certain.

Prior to this show in the mid 1960′s Nancy Cato and John-Michael Howson had been heavily involved in the similar Magic Circle Club, 555 episodes of that show were produced at ATV-O’s Melbourne studios between February 1965 and March 1967 and the show won the first logie award ever given to a children’s program.Characters on that show included, Fredd Bear, Leonardo de FunBird and Cassius Cuckoo. Rare colour footage from 1972.

Adventure Island won a TV Week special logie in 1968 and the show was taped at the ABC’s Melbourne studios every Sunday and Monday several weeks ahead of broadcast.

production details
ABC | 1175 x30 minute episodes | 1967-72 First episode aired: September 11, 1967

Creators: John-Michael Howson, Godfrey Philipp

key cast members includes
Colin McEwan
Ernie Bourne as Fester Fumble
Liz Harris as Liza
John Michael Howson as Clown
Jim Smillie
Jack Manuel as Percy Panda
Mary Hardy as Wanda Wise